The School Files of Kumiko Inoai
by Lola-Gurl
Summary: Prequel to Shi Jin no Miko. Kumiko's life before entering the book. See how she became so...psycho. CH. 2 Up
1. Escaping Enterance Exams

The School Files of Kumiko Inoai  
  
Disclaimer: I (most unfortunately) don't own Fushigi Yugi. The wonderful Yu Watase does. I do however own Kumiko Inoai, and her parents (and Risu for that matter). I do NOT and I repeat do NOT own Rei. She belongs to my friend Lupine Eyes. (check out her stories!) Both of us pretty much own Anzu Takanami, but then again, who'd want to? Please read and review, but NO FLAMES!  
  
Chapter One: Escaping Entrance Exams  
  
"Kumiko, get up this instant! Your going to be late!" The girl stirred slightly at the sound of her mother's voice, but she did not rise. "Enough of this, you **must** get up!" She shook her daughter's shoulder, but Kumiko continued her stubborn fight. A groan came from beneath the covers as she hugged them closer and shrank into a fetal position.  
  
Through her mother's frustrated orders, she kept on: She really didn't want to go to school. Her mother was about ready to ground her for a few months when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
"Aiosun, sweetheart, let me handle this," her husband suggested. "Go ahead and try," She laughed slightly, and left the room. He sat on Kumiko's bed and calmly said, "Kumiko, it's time for you to get up."  
  
"No," She groaned. "You'll want to now," He said. "No I won't," She groaned again. "You will, when I TICKLE YOU-" He lunged at her and started to tickle her stomach. Laughter and giggling erupted from the room. "Okay, okay, I'll get up!" She yelled frantically. He stopped and she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Good," Her father said, smiling. "Hey dad?" "Yea?" He turned. "I'm almost 15. No more tickling, okay?" He sighed. "Only on occasion. "He left the room.  
  
Kumiko yawned and stood up. She squinted at the morning light that streamed through her window. She stretched and yawned again. "Time for school," She said miserably. She fished through her closet and pulled out her tan uniform. After briskly putting it on, she left her room. "Mom, will you put some toast in the toaster for me?" She called to the kitchen. "I already have, it's on the table," Her mother called back. Kumiko grinned; she loved her mother.  
  
She put on her shoes and went into the bathroom. Grabbing her brush she carelessly brushed through it and put it in a ponytail. She brushed her teeth hurriedly and rushed to the kitchen. She kissed both her parents goodbye, grabbed her school things and left with toast in hand...err mouth. Since she lived quite close to the junior high school, it was a fairly quick walk. But that morning, Kumiko had to resort to running.  
  
The girl reached class just in time for the school bell. She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down in her desk. "I made it," She said, thankful. Her teacher gave her a stern look.  
"You're cutting it very close, Miss Inoai," She warned. Kumiko nodded seriously as her friend, Risu, giggled. "It's not funny," Kumiko said, frowning slightly. Risu shook her head.  
"It is. You're pretty much the best student in our class, and you probably have the best chance of getting into the best high school, and the best college. But you're almost late everyday." Kumiko shrugged. "Not my fault. I'm not a morning person." "Let's begin class please," the teacher called to the class. Kumiko faced forward and readied herself for a long day of school.  
  
The hours slowly slipped away with boredom, as Kumiko listened to her teacher's constant droning. If not for her friends, Kumiko would refuse to get out of bed no matter what her parents did. When lunchtime finally came, Kumiko was the first out of the room. She looked around the lunchroom for her two friends. "Who are you looking for?" Risu asked, following Kumiko's gazes. "Miaka and Yui," She said, eyes darting back and forth.  
"Don't waste your time looking back and forth," a voice said lazily. Kumiko turned to see Yui smiling at her, her blue eyes shining. "Hey, Yui. Where's Miaka?" She asked her friend, who was a year younger. "She went to get her lunch," She pointed to the line, where Miaka was piling many things onto her tray. Kumiko sighed. "Nothing changes." Miaka suddenly came up behind them, grinning.  
  
"Hi Kumiko! Let's go eat!" Kumiko looked at Yui who smiled helplessly. The girls sat down at a table with another group of girls. Everyone happily mingled together, talking cheerfully. "Kumiko," Miaka asked, "Are you going to try to get into Jonan?" Kumiko hadn't thought of it. "I don't know," she said truthfully, "I haven't really considered it. I suppose I will, my parents probably want me to." "You're definitely going to get in. You're like, the valedictorian of our class," Risu said in admiration.  
  
"We'll miss you. Even though we're in our 3rd year of middle school next year, there's no guarantee we'll go to the same school," Yui said in a slightly bittersweet tone. "Even if I'm at Jonan, or any other school, I'll still see you guys," Kumiko smiled, but she knew they were right. Next year, the group of friends would be separated. She decided she would discuss high school with her parents when she got home.  
  
When the school day was at last over, the thought had slipped her mind with the thought of the weekend. "Mom, Dad, I'm home!" She called as she entered the door. There was no reply. She shrugged and kicked off her shoes. She went straight to the couch and grabbed the remote. "TV time," She said, clicking the 'on' button. "Kumiko, please come here," a voice called. She practically jumped three feet off the couch. _I thought I was alone..._ She thought, confused. Turning off the TV, she went into her parents' room, where both her parents were, looking grave. _Oh. Shit. What did I do now?_ She thought frantically.  
  
"We got a call from your teacher today," her mother said. _Uh oh. I'm soooo grounded._ She tried to sound clueless. "Oh, really? What'd she say?" Kumiko said lightly as if it were no big deal. "She said you aren't challenged in school, despite your good grades," her father said, peering down at her, making her feel childish. "And that is why we have decided that you are going to the best school in our power," said Mrs. Inoai. "I was meaning to talk to you about the Jonan exams-" Kumiko began but was cut off. "You're not going to Jonan." "What do you mean? Jonan IS the best school," she said, confused. "IN the district, yes. But you're not going inside the district. You're going to Seikoro," Her mother said, a broad smile on her face. "Where?" She asked. "Seikoro prepatory school for young women. An all girls school in Kyoto." "KYOTO?! You're sending me to a boarding school in Kyoto?!" She yelled in complete disbelief. "Not a boarding school, a prepatory school," her mother assured her. "Same difference," She snapped.  
  
"Kumiko, think about it. It's a great opportunity for you. It has everything you need to excel. And you'd get first choice on all the best colleges," her father said. "But Kyoto is HOURS away!" She argued. "Which is why you stay all year and come back during the summer. And it's only about 2 hours away," her mother noted. This was horrible, it was unreal. "You're going to Seikoro," her mother added firmly. Kumiko couldn't believe it; she was being forced to go into the hardest school in Japan, away from her friends and family. She stomped off to her room and slammed the door.  
  
Her mother sighed and rubbed her temples. "She's becoming a teenager." "Aiosun, she's been a teenager for three years now. She's growing up. And I believe I owe it to her to explain." He kissed her on the cheek and went into his daughter's room. Kumiko was on her bead hitting a tennis ball against the wall as hard as she could. "Kumiko, stop." His calm voice had no effect, she only hit it harder. With lightning speed her father snatched the ball and put it in his picket.  
  
She glared at him angrily, but he only smiled. "Are you ready to listen to me?" He asked. "If you're ready to talk," She replied. "Our decision was not to make you miserable. We want you to have the wonderful opportunities you deserve." "What I deserve is to have the freedom to choose," She said in disdain. "I know how you feel. But try to think of it as a chance to prove your worth." He patted her on the head and left her room. She clenched her fists and spat, "I don't want to." She lay against her pillow, willing her body to sleep.  
  
"Your parents are sending you to a prep school?!" Yui exclaimed in disbelief. Kumiko nodded sadly. "In Kyoto. I won't be able to see you guys until the year is over." Miaka pouted. "But why?" She asked. "They want me to have the best opportunities. To become a doctor or something. If they knew what I wanted to do with my life, they'd freak." Kumiko had always thought about being a singer or an actress when she grew up. She loved to do both, but feared if she told her parents they'd disapprove.  
  
"Well, look at it this way: We still have this year," Miaka said, trying to be optimistic." "Yea, I guess. And I don't think I leave 'till September." She smiled. "We have to make the time I have left the best ever." The three grinned, and promised. It turned out, as Kumiko found out shortly, that she did not have until September. "You start mid August," Her mother told her, as she washed the dishes. "No way, not fair!" She complained. Now she had even less time. After school ended, next week, she would only have about 10 weeks with her two best friends. "Kumiko, your father and I were talking last night. We might even move to Kyoto," she said, sounding happy with herself. "Mom, what are you talking about?! You have a job here. And so does dad. You're nuts." "Yes, but your father's law firm has a branch in Kyoto as well. And as a scientist, I go all over. You may not realize it, but I'm in Kyoto more than you know. It's a nice neighborhood."  
  
Kumiko rolled her eyes. This was getting out of hand. She left for her room and immediately shoved her headphones on her head. These days, music was her escape from the nightmare that was reality. The exams were the next day. Instead of taking them, like everyone else, she had been put in a room that smelled like mold with a fat, lazy teacher who slept for the four hours. She was told to use the time 'productively'. She snorted. Productively. _Yeah right,_ She thought. _They're pathetic if they think I'm gonna spend my time doing homework._  
  
Though she bid time to pass slowly, it only disobeyed her and went quickly, as the last week of school does. On the last day, she sighed in discontent. "Goodbye school. I hated you anyway." The bell rang and everyone else ran out of the classroom. She stayed seated for a second, and closed her eyes. She wanted to be excited, but all tha filled her was dread. She tried to spend every day with Miaka and Yui, just to make sure they captured enough memories to keep her happy at school. Near the end of July, her mother took her shopping for school supplies. "It's a pretty long list," She said staring at it.  
  
Her mother ignored her, and started shoving things in shopping carts. "Um, mom, will we need to buy my uniform?" She asked. "We've paid for them, yes, but they will send them to you. They SHOULD be here soon." This confused Kumiko, for she had never heard of mail order uniforms. She shrugged it off and helped her mom pick out supplies. The uniforms came that night. There were about 10 or 15 of them, which she would get washed and wear over and over. She also received the cloths they would wear for physical education class. "Why don't you go ahead and try them on?" She sighed and nodded.  
  
The uniform was a lovely deep green made from a thick cotton. It was much nicer than her old school uniform, with it's regal gold buttons and laced shirts. A red ribbon tied around the collar, and made her look very intelligent indeed. When she came out from her room, her mother started beaming. "Oh, Kumiko, you look so grown up!" She said. "Very nice, young lady," her father approved. Kumiko tried to smile, but everyone knew she was miserable. "I'm gonna go to bed now. It's sorta late." She went to her room and tears stung at her eyes. Why could her parents not see how miserable she was? Where they stupid, or did she not show it on her face?  
  
The next night, both Miaka and Yui slept over. It was two days until she had to leave, and her parents felt sorry for her. Now the three girls sat on Kumiko's bed, depressed at the current situation. "I promise to come and visit you every time I have break," Kumiko vowed. "If we can make it to Kyoto, we'll visit you," Miaka said. Yui gave her a look. "And where will we get the money?" She asked. Miaka blinked. "I dunno." Suddenly, Kumiko remembered her presents. "Oh jeez, I almost forgot! I'm such a ditz," She said, as she reached into a box underneath her bed. She opened it to reveal three beaded bracelets she had bought earlier that week. "These are for you. Miaka, yours is red because of you passion for life. And Yui, yours is blue, because I couldn't find a truer friend. Besides, it matches your eyes!" Both girls put them on. "Did you get one for yourself?" Yui asked, admiring hers.  
  
She nodded. "Yup. Mine's pink." "Why pink?" Yui asked. "For L-O-V- E!" Miaka giggled. Kumiko shook her head. "Nah. It's supposed to mean purity and peace." All three of them started to laugh. They stayed up much of the night talking and laughing until finally they slept. Kumiko stayed awake and looked at her two best friends. She would miss them more than she could describe. How would she survive without them?  
  
At long last, the day came. It started as any other, with the sun's rays through Kumiko's window. A terrible feeling settled in her stomach as she dressed in one of her uniforms. She was instructed to wear it the day school started, including the trip there. She had all of her backs packed, and brought them silently into the kitchen. Her mother made her an extravagant breakfast, in honor of her daughter's 'big day'. Kumiko barely ate any of it. "You'll enjoy it sweetheart, I promise. Who knows maybe you'll meet a guy." She winked. Kumiko said flatly, "Mom, it's an all girls school. How do you expect me to meet a guy." She shrugged. "I don't know, community service, perhaps." Kumiko rolled her eyes.  
  
Her parents dropped her off at the station and gave her the ticket they had purchased the pervious day. "Do you have everything?" Her mother asked. She nodded. Both parents hugged her and she left to get on the train. "Kumiko, wait a moment!" She turned. "Yea dad?" He handed her a box. "A going away present." He said. She opened it to see a beautiful gold necklace, sparkling in the sunlight. She picked it up with trembling fingers. "Daddy, it's beautiful," She whispered. "Read the back," He said. She turned it over and gasped. It said 'to my darling Kumiko' in the English language. "Why English?" She asked. "So it can be our special secret," He said winking at her. She hugged him tightly. "Thank you, daddy."  
  
She got on the train smiling at her parents. "Make us proud!" Her mother called waving. Her parent's smiling faces eased her nerves a bit. "Goodbye, I love you both!" She called as it pulled away. When she could no longer see them, she closed her window and sat facing forward. She took out her CD player and pressed play. _Listening to it would help relieve my boredom for the next two and a half hours_, she thought. The trip was boring, staring out the window the whole time.  
  
She looked between the few other people on the bus; A sleeping old man, a woman talking on her cell phone, two teenage girls a few years older than her. They appeared to be twins, despite the difference in hair color. _It'd be cool to die my hair. Mom would go insane_, she thought, grinning at the idea. She suddenly noticed that the train had come to a slow stop. She stretched her arms and yawned. Finally, it was over. She got off quickly got off and walked around to stretch her legs. It had seemed to take forever.  
  
After walking around for a few moments, she called for a taxi. Within minutes, they were at the school. Kumiko thanked the driver, paid him and got out. She looked up at the building in awe. The school was huge! It had at least three floors, and six pairs of mahogany doors at the front of the building. "Whoa," She said. She was awaken from her state of admiration when she heard a small curse behind her. Kumiko turned to see a girl having trouble getting her bags out of a car trunk. The girl was wearing an identical uniform, and had her dark brown hair hanging limply down her back.  
  
"Would you like help with that?" Kumiko asked, walking over towards her. The girl looked up at her, her turquoise eyes in relief.  
"That'd be great thanks," The girl said gratefully. Kumiko applied pressure to one side of the bags while the girl pulled and it easily slipped out. She sighed in relief. "I thought it'd never come out. Thank you," She said smiling as she put her bags in a pile. "No problem. I'm Kumiko Inoai," Kumiko said, sticking out her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, my name's-"She was interrupted by a loud voice.  
  
"Who's shit is this?"  
  
Kumiko turned to see a group of other girls staring at her new acquaintance's bags. The girl who had spoken had her long blonde hair in pigtails high on the top of her head. Her face was covered in makeup that did nothing but made her look like a tramp. She was quite tall, taller than Kumiko, and carried a snobby air about her. She pushed the bags carelessly over onto the dirt. The girl Kumiko had met, seemed angry and was about to speak when Kumiko calmly said, "I wouldn't do that." "And why the hell not?" She turned to Kumiko and pointed to the bags, "They yours?" Kumiko shook her head and replied, "No, but if you were to calmly ask who's they were and politely requested them to be removed out of your way, you wouldn't have to dump them on the ground disrespectfully."  
  
The girl looked appalled that Kumiko had talked to her in that manner. "Do you know who I am?" She asked in a stuck up manner. _A bitch_, Kumiko thought, but said, "No. Enlighten me." She gave a fake smile. "I'm Anzu Takanami, the soon to be most popular here as of tonight." She said matter-of-factly. Kumiko rolled her eyes. Anzu continued, "My father's one of the richest men in Kyoto. Probably much richer than yours," She gave Kumiko a look over and finished, "And if you want to get in my way, I'll make your life a living hell." Her friends snickered, but Kumiko only smiled. "I'm sorry Anzu, but I'm just not afraid of you. In fact, I don't care what you do. But, right row, I suggest that you leave, because I think your face is scaring some of the other girls."  
  
Anzu was speechless. She walked off in a huff, followed by her group of friends. "What a bitch," Kumiko remarked when she left. "Kumiko, I can't believe you did that!" The girl she had met earlier grabbed her arm in amazement, but Kumiko shrugged. "She deserved it," She said simply. "Oh, here's your bags," She handed them to the girl. "My name's Rei," She said smiling brightly at Kumiko. "Well Rei, do you think we should go inside before any other girls come over and knock over your bags?" Rei laughed and Kumiko grinned. She had made her first friend at Seikoro Prep.  
  
When everyone arrived, they were welcomed by the headmistress. She looked at them happily and explained how ecstatic she was that they had all come. Kumiko wasn't paying attention. She was instead looking around at people. They then were told there would be a sheet telling of their roommates. Kumiko grimaced at the thought of having Anzu as a roommate and hoped with all her heart it wouldn't happen. She and Rei checked the sheet anxiously. Luckily enough, Kumiko found her name partnered with Rei's. "Alright, we're roommates," She grinned at Rei and they high-fived each other. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all_, Kumiko thought, smiling.  
  
"So where do you live, Kumiko?" Rei asked. "Tokyo. I had to take a train to get here," She then explained her situation with her parents and having to go there. Rei nodded. "What about you Rei, where do you live?" Kumiko asked. "Oh, pretty nearby Kyoto. Maybe a half an hour away. I live with my aunt. She has a temple to the goddess outside the city a ways away," She said. "Really? No way! That is so superly cool!" Kumiko said. "You think so?" Rei blushed. Kumiko nodded. "Totally. Can you do the cool spells and psychic stuff?" She asked. Rei laughed and nodded. "Awesome! Maybe you can cast a spell on Anzu," Kumiko cast a glance at Anzu and scowled. "I wish. I haven't learned how to harm people. My aunt won't teach me," She said regretfully.  
  
The two found their room. It was quite nice, a little bigger than Kumiko's old room. It had two comfortable beds parallel to one another. Both girls had dressers next to their beds where they could store their clothes. There was also a closet for the two to share, along with a bathroom. "Cool," Kumiko said. "Which bed do you want?" She asked Rei. Rei looked at both of them. "Whichever is closest to the west," She said, setting her bags down on one of them. Kumiko plopped down on the other one. She unzipped her bags and started to unload her stuff. All of her uniforms were put in her dresser, along with the most basic of her garments. Everything else, such as her casual outfits, were put in the closet.  
  
"Why'd you bring so many pairs of casual cloths?" Rei asked as she unloaded hers into the closet. Kumiko shrugged, "Felt like it." She looked around, "Now where'd I put my shoes?" She spotted her three pairs; Her tennis shoes, her chucks and her extra pair of black school shoes. She put them all in the closet and shut the door. Then she collapsed on her bed. "It's so comfortable," She said, closing her eyes. Rei nodded. "My bed's not nearly this comfortable." "I wish we had a stereo in here," Kumiko said, suddenly looking at a bare shelf. "This room is so totally bare. If we're gonna be here for the next four years, it's gonna get decorated." Rei nodded. "It's pretty drab, I must admit."  
  
Kumiko took out a poster from her bedroom. "I brought this with me. I took it down from my room. It's my favorite poster, I couldn't leave it behind." She hung it near her bed. "What is it?" Rei asked looking at it. "A butterfly. But if you look at it from far away." She grabbed Rei's arm and pulled her back from the bed. "You can see the word Yume," She grinned. "Cool, huh?" Rei nodded. "Very. Hey Kumiko, do you mind if I light incense in here?" Kumiko shook her head. "No, I don't mind. It smells like mothballs in here anyway." Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Come in," The girls said in unison. A middle aged woman popped her head in. "It will be time to eat dinner shortly. Afterwards you will receive your schedules." The two nodded and decided to leave the room. "Where is the dining room, anyway?" Kumiko asked. Rei shrugged. "I suppose there's a map someplace. And there ARE upperclassmen. Someplace." Kumiko laughed. "I forgot about that. I'm such a ditz." Rei shook her head. "You're anything but a ditz. You're a great friend, and I only met you a few hours ago." Kumiko smiled brightly. "Thanks, Rei. With you as a friend, I'm going to enjoy my time here. C'mon, let's go."  
  
The two girls headed happily off to the dining room. It didn't surprise Kumiko that the food was better than her cafeterias. After all, if it was the 'best boarding school for girls' then it better have. Kumiko was relieved to have the exact same classes as Rei. "Unfortunately with my luck, we'll probably end up in a class with Anzu." Rei crossed her fingers. "I'm hoping we won't." The girls were ushered off to bed early that night saying that they would all be woken up bright and early.  
  
When the two got back to their room, Kumiko changed into her pajamas. "Hey, you forgot to take off your necklace," Rei said. "Oh, I forgot it was there. I just got it today. From my dad, as a going away present." "It's very pretty," Rei said admiring it. Kumiko took the necklace off carefully and put it back in the box. "Rei, if you don't mind me asking, why do you live with your aunt?" Rei, who was taking her hair out of her braids, looked up at Kumiko and answered, "They both died. In a plane crash. After their deaths, I just ended up living with my aunt. She's the nearest to where I lived. But I don't mind talking about it, I don't really remember them all that much."  
  
"Lights out!" Came a voice. A second later, the two were in darkness, except for the moonlight that illuminated Rei's face. "Goodnight Rei," Kumiko said, yawning. "Goodnight Kumiko. See you in the morning." Kumiko turned over against the wall and closed her eyes. "Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad." She whispered as she fell asleep.

* * *

Did you like it? I hope so. By the way, let me mention, this is a prequel to Shi Jin no Miko, so basically the life of Kumiko Inoai before she entered Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. Kumikoden, if you will (Legend of Kumiko, I think. My Japanese sucks) Anyway, please review. This is supposed to match up with Lupine-Eyes' fic, but who knows, it's 'open to interpretation' winks 


	2. Trouble with a Capital A

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi. But I own Kumiko. But not Rei. She's Lupi's (Lupine-eyes) and we both own Anzu. And yadda yadda yadda. Does anybody really read these things?  
  
Key:  
  
Passage of time  
  
Thoughts  
  
FLASHBACKS  
  
Chapter 2: Trouble with a capital A  
  
In the morning when Kumiko woke up, it took her a few moments to realize where she was. "Oh yea," She laughed. She looked over at Rei, who was still sleeping. She seemed to be having good dreams; a small smile was spread across her face. Kumiko found it ironic that if she were at home right now, her parents wouldn't be able to get her up and she would be late to school. "Rei," She whispered. "Come on, get up. It's best we get a head start." But Rei was a sound sleeper. Kumiko shrugged and decided to take a shower.  
  
The bathroom the two shared was very small; it had a toilet, sink, mirror and small shower. Other than that, there was barely any standing space. Kumiko turned on the bathroom fan and turned on the hot water. She took off her pajamas and set them on the floor. The warm shower relaxed her tense muscles that had built up from sleeping uncomfortably on the train the previous afternoon. "Ahh," She said, relieved as they stopped aching. After washing her hair, she turned off the water and dried off. "Good morning," Rei called as she stepped out of the bathroom in her bathrobe. "Hey, you're finally up." Kumiko smiled.  
  
Rei yawned, her mouth looking like a giant chasm. "Yea. I'm not too good at the early morning thing. I'm surprised you are." Kumiko laughed. "Ha, you should see me at home. My parents can barely get me out of bed without grounding me." The two girls laughed at the joke. "Same here. Except it wouldn't have much of an effect if my aunt grounded me or not. I stay home most of the time anyway." Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a voice was heard from the outside. "Girls, breakfast!" Kumiko grinned, for she had worked up an appetite during the night. She put on one of her uniforms and wringed her hair dry. Rei changed into her uniform as well, and the two girls headed down to the dining hall. "Yay, eggs!" Kumiko said happily. "They're one of my favorite things to have for breakfast," She explained to Rei, who stared at her oddly. She grabbed the soy sauce them all over her eggs. "Hey, you like Soy Sauce on your eggs too?" Rei asked. Kumiko nodded. "I love it," She said.  
  
"That's really strange, I've never met another person who likes eggs with soy sauce," Rei said smiling. Kumiko smiled back. She and Rei and so much in common! "Well maybe that's because you two are freaks," Came a voice. Kumiko groaned and turned around. Anzu stood looking down on them. Even in the early morning she had tons of makeup on. She continued in a sneering voice, "Of course, I'm sure there's other things you to have in common. Like, let's see, poor excuses for families, perhaps," She stopped when Kumiko stood up. "Say that again," She said in a harsh whisper, "And I'll kick your ass."  
  
Anzu gave a malicious grin, but looked slightly worried. "I'm sure," She said, as she walked away. Kumiko was shaking with anger. "Don't you ever insult my family, or Rei's again," She warned. Anzu answered simply by batting her blonde hair over her shoulders. "Bitch," Kumiko muttered as she sat down. "Don't even bother with her. She does it on purpose." "How can you just ignore her like that? After she insulted your family?" She asked Rei. "Look, I've known Anzu for years. I've been in her class since elementary school. I know how she works. I've gotten used to the fact that she thinks she's so much better than everyone else. I know what she says isn't true, so why should I bother?"  
  
Kumiko didn't say anything in reply, but she knew to some extent Rei was right. "It just pisses me off. At my old school in Tokyo everybody was pretty much friends with everybody. We didn't have popularity issues." Rei nodded. "I've just grown up dealing with them, I guess. After that, Kumiko had lost her will to eat. Nobody insults my family, she thought. They quickly headed back to their dorms where Rei took a quick shower. "What do we have first?" Rei asked her while drying her hair. Kumiko looked at their schedules, which she had posted on their doors the previous night. "Full Orchestra," She answered. "What do you play?"  
  
"Cello," Rei replied, stepping out of the bathroom. "And you?" "French Horn." "Really? Strange. I can see you playing something like Clarinet." Kumiko shrugged. "I've always played French Horn. I like it, it's fun. Although, I don't practice very often. I don't have one of my own, only rented from the schools." With that, the two girls headed off to the orchestra room.  
  
Their conductor, a short middle aged woman, could barely be seen above the chairs without her podium. "She's pretty short," Rei whispered. Kumiko nodded. They grabbed their instruments and started to tune. "Please tell me Anzu doesn't play an instrument," Kumiko asked Rei. She sighed sadly and replied, "She does. First Chair Clarinet." "Now I'm really glad I don't play clarinet," She laughed slightly. "Brasses are so much better than woodwinds." Rei nodded in agreement. "But strings are better," She grinned. "I beg to differ," Kumiko laughed.  
  
"Attention girls, please find your appropriate seats." The two girls waved goodbye to each other and sat on opposite sides of the room, strings to the front, winds to the back. Kumiko found the music the sight-read quite easy. After class she ran up to Rei. "I thought that stuff was pretty easy, don't you?" She asked, putting her Horn back in its case. Rei shrugged. "I guess. I haven't been playing for all that long." Kumiko nodded. "Do you know what we have next?" Rei pondered. "I think...it's math. But I'm not positive."  
  
With a quick scramble through their things, they found a copy of their schedules. "Yup, math it is. This better be more challenging than last years math class. I hated it. I'd be done like...half an hour early and I'd sit there, because I was afraid to tell the teacher I'd finished so quickly. I guess she noticed anyway, seeing that I ended up here." Rei nodded. "I'm pretty good at math. I just hate Algebra." "I think it's ok. I HATE probability. Ick, gag me. I could never really explain myself, so I always got worse grades on assignments with probability."  
  
Laughing happily they sat down in Math. The two girls groaned when they saw Anzu enter the room, bouncy and cheerleady (A/N: is that a word?) as ever. The teacher gave them seating arrangements, which unfortunately placed Anzu right in front of Kumiko, with Rei on the other side of the room. Immediately, Anzu shot her hand in the air. "Is there a problem Miss Takenami?" The teacher asked, peering over her glasses. "Yes there is," She said matter-of-factly. "I don't like this seat. I really dislike the general area of people I'm sitting around. Could you possibly change your seating chart?" Kumiko raised her hand and said, "I agree. Someone's Fat Ugly Head seems to be in the way of the board, thus disrupting my learning." There was a hushed silence over the classroom. "How dare you...you.... Bitch!" Anzu screamed. Kumiko blinked. This was going to be interesting. "Now now Anzu, don't use dirty words. This classroom uses mild language only," Kumiko said, trying not to giggle.  
  
"I quite agree. Miss Takenami, I will not take that kind of behavior, please go to the office." Anzu turned to the teacher, face full of shock. "Oh, but Ms-" "-I'm sorry, but there is no excuse for swea-" "-But she-" "That doesn't matter, please go to the office."  
  
Anzu looked as if she was about to cry. She gave both Kumiko and Rei dirty looks and left the room sullen faced. She slammed the door behind her. Other than that, math class went by regularly quickly.  
  
Gratefully, so did the rest of the morning. Soon it was lunchtime and Kumiko and Rei hadn't seen a glance of Anzu anywhere. "You don't supposed she gave up do you?" Kumiko said hopefully. Rei shook her head. "Not even close. She's as stubborn as they come." "Great," Kumiko said, sarcasm etched in her voice. Suddenly Anzu and her followers (which was around six or seven girls, looking a little to much like her) came walking up. Anzu still looked upset, but regained her furious face. "I'm going to get you for that, Kumiko. I'll see to it you get what you deserve." "What, a Nobel peace prize? That'd be great," Rei said, giving a fake smile. "Oh, and glad you learned my name. You won't forget it easily," With that Kumiko and Rei got up and walked passed them, finished with their lunches.  
  
"That was great. Sooo much better than Mom's cooking." Kumiko said, stuffed. "Yea, I'd say. My aunt Kari isn't the best cook either." Kumiko giggled and said, "I remember when Dad tried to cook once. We had to call the fire department. He put tinfoil in the microwave." Rei laughed and answered, "Yea, I don't really remember my dad's cooking. I don't think he did. I just remember Mom's was the greatest. She made the best dishes all over Kyoto." She got a dreamy look on her face thinking about it. "Hey, earth to Rei," Kumiko said, waving her hands in front of Rei's face. "I'm here, I'm here." She laughed. "Come on, we've got class."  
  
The rest of the day passed uneventfully as well. Well, that is other than Anzu getting in trouble for talking on her cell phone in the middle of class. She pouted when the teacher made her hang up on her boyfriend. Kumiko rolled her eyes. "If I get a boyfriend, EVER, I'm NEVER EVER doing that." Rei nodded in agreement. "Its what you call stupid beyond belief. REALLY stupid beyond belief." Anzu tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. "He's coming to pick me up tonight. We're sneaking out," She whispered to a friend, loud enough for Rei to hear. "What's that Kumiko? Did you hear the news? Anzu's boyfriend is coming to pick her up tonight so they can sneak out!" Rei said loudly. Kumiko joined in, "Really? Wow, I didn't know she was sneaking out. But gee, aren't our dorms on the second floor? I wonder how he'll get up there. Hmm..." She said loudly. Quite a few smirks were seen around the room, along with laughing.  
  
Anzu scowled. "Oh shut up," She said disdainfully to Rei and Kumiko, "at least I'm not single." Kumiko put her hands to her face. "Single? Oh my goodness! Woe is me, oh woe is me!" Rei dramatically flung her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I cannot go on! Who will tie my shoe? Who will glove my hands? Oh who will kiss my ruby lips if not a man...with Cash!" Kumiko burst out laughing at this last remark. "That was good. But don't forget he has to be bald and at least 30 to fit Anzu's preferences." She told Rei. She nodded happily, pleased with her dramatic antics. "Alright girls, I think that's enough," their teacher said. He then went back to teaching science class.  
  
That night, the girls sat talking in their dorm. "So what are your friends in Tokyo like?" Rei asked eagerly. "Well, first there's Miaka and Yui. They've been my friends forever. Since I moved to Japan from the U.S. I barely spoke Japanese. They helped me lots. Miaka's so kind, and fun loving. Although, she IS a bit of a glutton. Then there's Yui. She's really smart, at least for someone a year younger than myself. And then, Risu, who's in our grade. I haven't heard so much from her. I'm anxious to know if she got into Jonan or not. I bet Miaka and Yui are just getting ready for their last year at our old school. Then the head to high school themselves. I'm so proud of them." She laughed slightly. "I sound like my mom."  
  
Rei laughed as well. "I've done it before. Aunt Kari used to laugh at me. She always teased me, but in a loving way, you know? Nothing like Anzu." Her face grew dark. "I hate her sooo much," Kumiko seethed, just thinking about her. "Ditto. I didn't used to, though. We were actually.... friends." Kumiko raised her eyebrows. "Really? Are you serious?" Rei nodded sadly. "Yea, back in elementary school, a long long time ago. She used to come over all the time and we'd play in the fields. But then it became more important to be popular, and she started to change. Actually, that's wrong. It was much more drastic than that. All of the sudden she was wearing tighter jeans, higher skirts and more makeup. She'd always been one to love beauty, but she just overdid it. And then...we just weren't friends anymore." She stopped for a second, thoughtful.  
  
"She started taunting me when we got into middle school. Saying that I was crazy, a psycho freak, a nerd and a geek. But I ignored her. Even though it sorta hurt, I could tell that it hurt her too, knowing it was just as painful for me as it was for her. So, I made new friends. But...they all left me too. For different reasons. Moving away, their own personal desire to be popular, Anzu intentionally breaking them apart. So, I started to go out on my own. Little by little, until I was barely acquainted with anyone. Nobody really understood, so I kept my distance."  
  
"Well, don't worry. I'll try to understand the best I can," Kumiko said softly. "And I'll always be your friend. After all, I'm stuck at this school. My parents made sure of it." A knock on their door told them it was once again time to sleep. "Alright, we're going," Kumiko mumbled as she pulled up the covers and snuggled deep within them. "Hey Rei, if I sleep late, try waking me up, K?" Rei shrugged. "I'll try, but my sleeping habits aren't that great either." The two dreamed happily that night, enjoying each other's silent company.  
  
Morning seemed to come as soon as Kumiko closed her eyes. When she awoke she squinted at the light. She turned to see that Rei was not in her bed. "Good morning!" She called from the bathroom. "Morning," Kumiko grumbled slightly, itching her head, which was a big tangled mess. "Well don't you look lovely," Rei joked. Kumiko nodded, half asleep. "yea," she replied, yawning. "The style works for me. It's just so gonna be the style in 5 minutes. Too bad I'm early." Rei shook her head. "Ok, that sucked." Kumiko shrugged. "It's too early in the morning to be making good jokes." Rei replied, "That is true. Hey, hurry up and take a shower so we can head down to breakfast."  
  
Kumiko nodded and trudged into the bathroom and closed the door. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Boy was Rei right. Her hair was a mess. She shrugged and got into the shower. Within minutes the two were ready to go. "Come on, hurry up!" Rei said as Kumiko put on her socks and shoes. "I'm hurry upping!" Kumiko said, frantically putting them. "Nobody's gonna notice, come on!" Kumiko finished greatfully, and the two headed downstairs.

* * *

"No. Just no." Kumiko said, folding her arms. Rei gave her a pleading look. "Oh come on. Please? Just this once? It's not gonna react. I promise. I know lots about chemistry. I just want to see what color it turns." "Rei, that is reacting," Kumiko said bluntly. "I meant it's not gonna blow up. Please?" She begged.  
  
"No."  
  
The two were in science class, doing a chemistry lab, in which they were to test the effects of certain chemicals on fabric materials. Rei had been persisting that Kumiko mix chemicals for the past 15 minutes. "Kumiko! Don't be a wuss." Kumiko put her hand on her hip. "I don't see you doing it." Rei, realizing this tactic wasn't working, went back to pleading. "Please?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"How about when we go on break and get to go downtown, I'll buy you lunch. Promise. Please?" Kumiko sighed. What would it take to make her stop. "Fine. You've got a deal." The two shook on it. Taking a deep breath, Kumiko grabbed two different bottles of chemicals and a test tube. She poured one of them, a dark blue liquid, with a clear transparent one. She began to count:  
"One....two...three."  
  
BOOM!  
  
Within seconds the two liquids reacted and created a huge explosion of gray smoke. A strong putrid smell emitted from the test tube, filling up the whole room. The teacher walked up to Kumiko sternly. "Detention, Miss Inoai." When he walked away, Kumiko put down the test tube frustrated. "Rei!" She said, angry. "What?" Rei asked. "You just got me a detention!" She whined. "Yes, but it also just got you a free lunch," She added. Kumiko waggled her finger in Rei's face. "And I'm getting something REALLY big and REALLY expensive."

* * *

That lunch period, Kumiko sat in a room with thin mouthed, pencil thin old hawk for a teacher. Why oh why did I have to get detention? Why me? Didn't he even see Rei getting me to do it? Stupid teacher, She thought scornfully. For a full 20 more minutes, she sat in complete pain and agony, completely still with nothing to do. When she was finally allowed to leave, she ran out whispering "Thank you Kami-sama! You have given me freedom!"  
  
"How was detention?" a voice sneered. Kumiko reluctantly turned to see Anzu and her friends, laughing at her. And it was a shame Rei wasn't around. "Great. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't really have time for this. Talking with a bunch of bitches isn't on my schedule, you'll have to make an appointment." She shoved passed the group, in desperate search of Rei. Where was she?  
  
"So, how **was **detention?" Rei giggled. "Not funny," Kumiko said.  
  
It was passed dinner time, and both were finished with the homework they'd received. "So, what were those chemicals anyway?" Kumiko asked Rei. She shrugged. "One was Hydrochloric acid. The other was...um..." "Magnesium," Kumiko filled in, remembering. "Oh yea! Gotcha. Why? You're not going to do it again, are you?" Rei asked seriously. Kumiko shook her head slyly. "I'm not. But somebody else? Well, I'm not so sure." Rei's eyes lit up. "Tell me, please," She begged. Kumiko grinned. "Alright."  
  
She whispered her plan into Rei's ear, who laughed. "Brilliant! We'll put it into action tomorrow. Oh, this'll be great!" She grinned.

* * *

Lola: Finally, I finished it! MWAHAHAH. Oh, and I re-wrote the first chapter. Or Edited. Whatever. There was some stuff I needed to fix. So I did. Anyway, if you have any questions, let me know. Or suggestions. I'm always open to those.  
  
Oh, and by the way, I'm not sure if Hydrochloric acid and magnesium really react. I'll ask my science teacher. He's a chemistry buff, he'd know. Well, review! 


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